This invention relates to the sector of systems for the manufacture of ice. The invention has been developed with particular reference to an improved process for the manufacture of ice cups.
In order to have a large quantity of ice cups, in particular but not exclusively for use in places which are highly frequented by the public, it may be appropriate to use an automatic machine for the manufacture of ice instead of relying on the manufacture of ice cups in small batches through known systems using a die and mould.
Machines for the manufacture of ice are generally known and will not therefore be discussed in detail. Normally such machines comprise a condensation plate on which there is a plurality of depressions, normally of metal, and more particularly of nickel-plated copper, against which jets of water are delivered via ejectors located beneath the plates. The plate is cooled to a temperature such as to cause the water to freeze and to form cubes or blocks of ice within the depressions. When the temperature of the plate is raised above the freezing temperature, the blocks of ice become detached from the depressions in the plate and fall into a collecting bin ready for use.
In general small ice blocks of the known type have the physical characteristics of especial solidity and resistance to thermal shocks, as a result of which the stages of reversing the temperature of the freezing plate can be carried out suddenly without thereby risking compromising the intact nature of the blocks.
In the case of the manufacture of ice cups, the shape of these ice elements includes the presence of thin ice walls forming the walls of the cup. In this case excessively rapid reversal of the plate temperature could cause thermal shock and consequent damage to the ice layer or even its fracture.
The applicant has carried out many experiments in the sector in question with a view to developing a system for the production of ice cups which would be effective and productive. In this respect the applicant lodged a patent application for an industrial invention BO98A000395 on the 28 Jun. 1998 in which among other things a process for the manufacture of ice cups is illustrated.
The process described by the applicant comprised the stages of cooling the condensation plate, directing a flow of water spray towards the condensation plate for a predetermined period of time sufficient for the formation of ice elements, interrupting cooling of the condensation plate, interrupting the flow of water spray and heating the condensation plate to detach the ice elements. The applicant found that for the optimum manufacture of ice cups it was preferable that an intermediate waiting stage of a predetermined length, lasting for example approximately thirty minutes, should be inserted between interrupting cooling and starting to heat the condensation plate.
Many experiments and investigations which the applicant has continued to carry out subsequently to the date on which the aforesaid patent application was lodged have however demonstrated that this procedure can be further improved in such a way as to achieve further advantages and overcome some technical problems which arose during the aforesaid experiments.